


Good Grief

by DestroyedConscience



Series: Touch [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Sparrow Academy (Umbrella Academy), Angst, BAMF Klaus Hargreeves, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Consent Issues, Dark Klaus Hargreeves, Discussion of Non-consensual Possession, Gen, Good Sibling Diego Hargreeves, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, I describe the telekinesis as if it were an entity rather than a power lol idk why, I guess???, Klaus Hargreeves Has Telekinesis, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Misunderstandings, Powerful Klaus Hargreeves, Season 2 spoilers, Telekinesis, no seriously he stronk, they say the fuck word a lot sorry that's my bad g, to klaus anyways lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25724440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DestroyedConscience/pseuds/DestroyedConscience
Summary: "You might have to excuse meI've lost control of all my senses"In which Klaus does not react well to the loss of Ben and new powers are awakened because of it.
Relationships: Allison Hargreeves/Luther Hargreeves (implied), Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves & Vanya Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz (mentioned)
Series: Touch [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1881559
Comments: 78
Kudos: 784





	1. What's Gonna Be Left of The World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a quick thing i've written up while sleep-deprived so if it makes no sense,,, forgive me. i am not doing okay amidst the loss of ben so of course i am projecting onto klaus.
> 
> title and lyrics taken from Good Grief by Bastille.
> 
> Unedited.

Klaus wakes up from his place on the floor as Vanya approaches them. 

“Are you guys okay?”

“Physically or emotionally?” He groans, quip falling from his lips without needing to think. “Did we save the world or what?” He asks as he sits up, looking around dazedly. He feels dizzy, the blood running from his ears making everything foggy but when his senses come flooding back, something is missing. Something, _someone_ , is gone and he can’t help the hand that reaches to his temple as he tries to understand the feeling of loss that has engulfed his brain.

It hits him like a freight train.

“Where’s Ben?” It’s enough to make Diego freeze in his tracks, whatever panic he was in over Kennedy is forgotten as Klaus shakily rises to his feet. Vanya’s eyes are sad as she looks at him and it makes his stomach turn and his bones thrum with something he hasn’t felt before. “He went into the room with you, Vanya, where is he-”

“Klaus,” Her voice comes out as a whisper and she clears her throat before continuing. “Ben, he- He’s gone, Klaus, I’m so sorry.” She reaches towards him but he steps back as if her touch is poison. She looks like she might cry.

“No,” He shakes his head, hair moving wildly with the movements but his eyes never leave her face just like hers never leave his. “No, stop lying. You’re fucking lying to me!” His voice is rising and Diego looks up at the lights that seemed to flicker in time with his rising pitch. “How can he be gone? He was _already dead_ , he can’t just die again so tell me where he is!”

“He- He was with me, in my head but when it was time for us to leave he started- started to fade away. He wasn’t able to leave with me, couldn’t get out- He said he wasn’t strong enough to hold on anymore.”

“You did this.” Vanya looked as though he may as well have struck her but he continued, entire being shaking and his chest feeling as though it may just burst open with something he’s never felt before. “Your powers- They _did something_ to him, you made him weak, you-” His eyes are wild, he knows, but he can’t bring himself to care because Ben isn’t here anymore and it’s _all her fault_ “You fucking _killed_ him!” He laughs, incredulously, cruelly. “You managed to kill a _ghost_! How the fuck do you manage that?!”

Allison places a hand on Vanya’s shoulder, eyeing the chairs and doors that are now shaking, the lights flashing. “Vanya, calm down, c’mon.” Vanya glances at her, eyes wide before looking back at Klaus.

“It’s not me.”

“I’ve been with him for _sixteen years_ ! He was all I fucking had for almost two decades and you just took him from me! He was everything I had and I _didn’t even get to say goodbye!_ ” The last words come out as a scream, deep and guttural as he tries to release some of the pressure he feels in his chest, in his head, in his entire body but it does nothing. There’s an energy pulsing through him and it feels suffocating and heavy and he wants it _out_. If he was in the right frame of mind, he would have seen the deep blue glow creeping up the veins of his neck, encompassing his hands and flooding his irises. He would have heard Diego’s curse and Allison’s gasp but instead, all he hears is the rushing of power pleading with him to be released and Vanya’s begging. The sound of her asking him to calm down, to listen, does nothing but make the anger rise and the energy push more insistently. His hands twitch and he lets go.

Klaus is hardly present in the moment, his mind only able to focus on the anger and the hurt and the empty place in his mind that his tether to Ben is supposed to be. Before he can blink, Vanya is thrown against the wall, little feet high off the ground and she’s clawing at her throat and gasping for air as her eyes roll into her head. Her chest flickers with white light but the invisible force acts as a barrier, containing it inside and making sure nobody else can get to her either. 

“I heard a rumour-” Allison flies down the hallway and hits the chair Vanya had been trapped in, the power swatting her away like a fly. 

More blood has dripped over Klaus’ lips to join with the blood that had already fallen, the force inside of him makes his bones tremble from the power of it as it’s pushed out from his body and onto his little sister’s neck but even as the others yell, Klaus stands and watches and _pushes_ more and more and-

Diego tackles him to the ground and as his body falls so does Vanya and the furniture that had risen with her, perfectly in sync. The doors stop their continuous swinging and slamming, one of them is now attached by a single hinge, all of the locks are broken. The only sounds left, after everything settles, are his siblings’ yelling and Vanya’s gasps for air as Klaus stares at the ceiling. He feels unbelievably tired but the fatigue does nothing to soothe the tearing pain inside his chest.

Allison has dragged herself up from the room and back to where Vanya lays on the ground, Diego holds Klaus down by his wrists even though it would be completely ineffective if he decided to release the power again. Klaus doesn’t release the power again. The anger is gone, the sound of his sister coughing harshly filling him with guilt that festers in his bones and replaces the power.

“What the hell was that?” His brother hisses, teeth bared in a snarl, “You could have killed her! You were _going_ to kill her!” Klaus drags his eyes from the ceiling to meet Diego’s, empty green meeting fiery brown. He feels the hesitation as his brother sees how hollow his eyes are, the way his hands tighten more on his wrists for a few moments before easing back into their previous grip; firm but not violent. Even after he tried to strangle their sibling to death, it seems Diego still cannot be violent to Klaus.

 _“He’s got such a soft spot for you, man.”_ He imagines Ben, voice full of snark, _“It’s getting gross, how much he puts up with your shit. You’re like Allison and Luther at this point.”_ He imagines him standing just to the side, hands in that dark jacket he loves and his nose scrunched in mock disgust. 

He closes his eyes as tears slide down his temples and focuses on the taste of iron in his mouth. 

* * *

He opens his eyes and sees he’s on a bed. A glance around tells him he’s at Elliot’s place. He must have passed out, releasing the energy that had filled him had left him exhausted, after all. There is no blood, someone must have cleaned him up. For a few brief moments, he wonders who but comes to the conclusion of it being Diego rather quickly. 

His thoughts are interrupted by the sound of voices. Concentrating - something that’s much harder than it should be, at the moment - lets him recognise the voices as his siblings’. Five’s voice is the one currently speaking, he’s arguing with… Vanya?

“He could have killed you! _Would have_ , if what Diego and Allison are saying is correct-”

“And I caused the apocalypse but you let me of the hook pretty damn quick!” A hush falls over the others as Vanya cuts him off. She takes a steadying breath, her voice is rough and weak but she doesn’t stop. “He was _hurt_ , Five, and he came to the wrong conclusion about something to try and protect himself from even more hurt. He didn’t want to think Ben left him, so he convinced himself he got taken from him instead.” There’s a silence but nobody says anything. Klaus doesn’t move from his spot on the bed, doesn’t even blink, but he listens. “He was _hurt_ ,” She repeats, almost desperately, like she’s begging them to understand it the way she does. “Just like me, when I did what I did.” The words are murmured, almost thoughtfully, like she had only just realised now.

Judging by Five’s silence, he must be realising, too. 

Klaus tunes out from the rest of the conversation. Doesn’t want to hear them talk about him like he isn't there. At least he isn’t trapped in a cell, he muses. The thought is enough to make him huff a breath of laughter out of his nose. He blinks up at the ceiling for a few moments.

He clenches his fists as they glow blue, searching for the familiar energy he has become accustomed to over the years that it’s as if it were his own. He reaches deeper and deeper until it feels he may get lost if he goes further, then reaches deeper again. 

His fists stop glowing and there’s nothing he can do except cry. His siblings continue to talk below him but Klaus, in this moment, has never felt more alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> KLAUS NEVER EVEN GOT TO SAY GOODBYE GOD IM EMOTIONAL
> 
> also i love vanya please don't think i blame her for ben moving on klaus was just Hurting and jumping to conclusions because he was in denial.
> 
> this is... maybe up for another chapter?? possibly?? idk i MIGHT leave it or i might write a bonus, i'll think about it i guess.
> 
> comments + kudos are always appreciated <3


	2. Our Souls'll Both Collide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Just hold out against the night  
> And guard your hope with your life  
> For the darkness, she will come  
> Oh and you have nowhere left to run”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so uhhh,, i lied about 'just one more chapter' last chap,,, but it's only because this was getting too long and i had to cut it off!! next chapter will be the last! 
> 
> also there's reference to Klaus' past prostitution and while I fully support sex work, Klaus' experience is completely different from a healthy form of sex work as he did it out of survival purposes rather than free will. just wanted to warn anyone who may not be up for that <3 it's very brief and honestly kinda blink-and-you'll-miss-it but i wanted to let y'all know beforehand anyways
> 
> Title and lyrics taken from Elysium by Bear's Den
> 
> Unedited.

Diego walks in to his hands glowing blue and freezes, body tense. He sees the lack of glowing eyes and visibly relaxes before making his way to the bed, slowly. He’s hesitant in sitting down beside him but Klaus makes no move to stop him and the bed eventually dips underneath his weight.

“What were you doing just now?” He asks, voice soft in that way it only ever was with Klaus, after the blue fades out. 

“Trying to conjure Ben again.” 

His brother sighs, both tired and sad and it makes Klaus’ veins grow hot, “Klaus, he’s gone, man. He’s moved on-”

“I know that!” He snaps, anger surging again and his bones thrum once more before he deflates, the power gone as quick as it came. “God, I wasn’t gonna, like, force him to stay when he doesn’t want to. I just…”

The silence rings on for a few moments until Diego nudges him gently with his elbow “You just what?”

“I just wanted to tell him goodbye, is all.” Klaus mumbles, eyes looking at the ceiling once more. “I never got to and we weren’t-” He blinks harshly when his eyes start to sting “We weren’t on the best of terms before he… left.” He can feel Diego studying him intently. He sits up so they’re now shoulder to shoulder, legs braced against the floor. 

“What do you mean?”

“That time, at the dinner with Dad?” He glances to his brother to see him nod slowly, he returns his gaze to where it had been staring aimlessly. “He possessed me. I wasn’t ‘overdosing’ or looking for attention, just trying to get him out of me.” He gives a dry laugh, “It would’ve been fine if he _apologised_ afterwards, I know he was frustrated and just wanted to talk to you guys, but he didn’t care. Called it ‘borrowing’ me.” He trails off in a murmur, only starting to talk again when he pulls himself from spacing out. “Then he possessed me when you came to get me…” 

Diego ducks his head and tries to meet his eye, there’s a heavy concern there, as though the realisation is dawning, slowly but surely. Klaus stubbornly doesn’t meet his gaze. It’s only when prompted with a soft “Klaus?” that he starts up again.

“I let him do it, mainly because I’d rather allow it than have him to do it when I passed out from exhaustion. We had some rules before doing it. He broke them pretty quick.” He finally glances to his brother, whose face is pulled taut in an uncomfortable grimace. “Just- Thanks for coming by, when you did.” 

The realisation is plain on Diego’s face but it’s hidden when he runs a hand down it, eyes leaving Klaus’ as they gaze at nothing, processing what he’s been told.

“That…” He starts, after silence rings between them once more, “That doesn’t sound like Ben.”

Klaus hums, “Yeah, I know. I don’t know what was wrong with him, I mean- I know I wasn’t the best person to be around, I know I shouldn’t have kept doing the whole ‘Oh Ben’s not here, sorry’ schtick but it was just- all of a sudden-“ He snaps his fingers, “He’s trying to possess me at every turn. It was fucking weird and-” He swallows, brows furrowing, “And _scary_ .” He laughs and it sounds almost hysterical, a quick thing, like it was punched out, “God, I was actually scared of him a few times. Like, _scared._ Of him and whether or not he’ll force his way in again. It’s… a lot harder for me to get him out than it is for him to get in.”

Diego sucks in a shuddering breath as though doing so will help him mull over his thoughts. Klaus lets him, suddenly very interested in the window opposite them.

“I’d let him possess me whenever and for however long he wanted if it meant he was back here.” He mumbles. Diego shakes his head.

“No, no.” He says, firm and leaving Klaus with no room for argument. He reaches a hand out to grasp at the back of his neck, he has no choice but to look at him. Diego’s gaze bores into his own, that intensity he always uses when trying to make a point present. “I don’t know why Ben did what he did, why he acted the way he did. Maybe he was angry like you said, muh-muh-maybe it was because he was getting weaker, or whatever. But,” He punctuates it by giving Klaus a shake, “I know that the Ben we know wouldn’t _ever_ want you to do something like that, okay?”

Klaus nods dumbly, not bothering to say anything. Diego’s words make him start to wonder, was Ben’s anger a result of being here for too long? Was he becoming just like the other ghosts, desperate for any form of being alive again that he’d force his way inside him and take over? Why did he only start acting how he had _after_ possessing Klaus for the first time? _Was it Klaus’ fault?_

The thought stops him in his tracks and he wonders if Diego notices that he stops breathing. 

Klaus must have tainted him somehow. It was no secret Ben was better than Klaus, after everything he has done in his life, Klaus is dirty inside and when Ben got inside of him that first time the dirt affected him somehow and it changed him. Or maybe it was resentment that built up over the years because Klaus stopped him from moving on, took the option of eternal peace right out of his hands. Ben was forced into an everlasting existence as a spirit and it was _all his fault-_

It was all too much to think about right now and, given what happened last time he got particularly worked up, Klaus decided to shove the feelings to the back of his head before they could fully take hold. Maybe he’ll let it all out later by screaming in the middle of a field all dramatic or something.

“I’m sorry I told Ben to keep possessing you.” Diego breaks their silence once more, having removed himself from Klaus’ personal space, now leaning his elbows on his knees. “I didn’t think- I was too caught up in the idea of Ben being back. I wouldn’t have told him that if I was in the right frame of mind, I hope you know that.”

Klaus hums, fingers coming up to play with his right lip before he’s reaching for his flask again. The fact that it hasn’t gotten lost throughout all of this baffles him but there’s still whiskey in there and goddamn does he need it. Diego watches him out of the corner of his eye as he unscrews the top but doesn’t move to stop him. “It’s okay,” He shrugs before necking the flask, face scrunching slightly as he swallows. It burns, but it’s welcomed. He tosses the, now empty, flask aside and onto the bed before looking at Diego thoughtfully. “The whole ‘responsible’ thing kinda hurt, though,” He admits and Diego cringes. 

“I know it’s true but given how often good ol’ Pops would say it, still kind of a sore spot, ya know?” It feels weird to be so vulnerable, feels weird to do so with _Diego_ who tries so hard to be the tough, brooding bad-boy but the man has always been softer in private, from his experiences. The room, small and disgustingly-sixties as it may be, feels safe with the sunlight streaming in through the old blinds and the closed door and Diego’s presence only adds to it. It still feels strange to ask for someone not to say a certain thing, feels strange to be _setting limits_. He never was one to set limits, especially given his lifestyle. People pay more when they can do whatever they want.

Maybe that path of thinking isn’t the best way to go right now, he concludes as his hands twitch. With thoughts of his past come thoughts of Ben and he hates that Ben is now going to simply be a part of memories rather than _right there_ but he can’t let himself think about, won’t let himself think about. The thoughts go to the back of his head with the rest of the ones he has shoved back.

Diego meets his gaze and looks so apologetic it makes his stomach turn. “I’m sorry, Klaus.” He says and it sounds like he really means it, although there is a nagging voice in the back of his head that questions whether the way he’s treating him is only to prevent a repeat of what happened earlier. He decides for the sake of his own mental health that he’ll just believe he’s being nice because he loves him. Klaus grins at him.

“It’s okay.” He turns to look at the door and knows a grimace is present on his face. “Ugh, I’m gonna have to go down there, aren’t I?” He sounds like a whiny child and he can see how his brother’s shoulders relax completely at the familiar tone.

Diego laughs, a quiet one under his breath, “Yeah,” He stands up and walks towards the door, hand on the doorknob as he looks at him expectantly, “Gonna have to face ‘em eventually, man.”

“Just promise Luther won’t grab me in a chokehold and toss me into the basement. Does this place even have a basement? Elliot was into conspiracies, right? He probably had a whole doomsday bunker-” 

“You’re stalling.” Diego sounds amused and Klaus sighs before pushing himself up. He approaches his brother who opens the door and they head down.

Five looks at him when he and Diego walk down the stairs to join the others. His eyes follow Klaus as he sits down on landing with his back pressed against the wall, not saying a word to anybody as he does, just watching them all for reactions. They don’t offer much, expressions unreadable, maybe a little wary. Vanya’s gaze doesn’t hold that, instead she looks at him with an understanding that makes his bones itch. He can’t see Diego’s face, he hasn’t moved from beside him, now leaning against the wall himself.

“We’ll help you with your powers, when we find out how to get back.” Five states, face as blank and serious as ever, “You and Vanya - I think training at the same time could be destructive. Not because of what you may think.” He cuts off Vanya before she can even say anything before continuing on after a pointed look in her direction to which she rolls her eyes at “But because you’re both too powerful, I don’t want your powers merging and starting an apocalypse all over again, if I can help it. We’ll make a schedule if we have to.” His face softens almost imperceptibly, a slight smoothening of his brow that others outside of their family wouldn’t notice. “We’ll figure this all out.” 

The news comes on to inform them that they’re the most wanted people in the world now, apparently. Klaus is starting to get a tad frustrated with God, could She not give them a break for one second? His offering of his yurt in Reykjavik is met with a lot more hostility than was necessary but it doesn’t really matter because Five and Diego are arguing now, Diego finally leaving his side to go butt heads with their apparent ‘hostage’ about something to do with the Commision. Klaus hasn’t been keeping track of their conversation enough to know what they’re talking about, all he knows is that Ben would have been paying attention, would have been able to catch him up to speed while jabbing at him for not listening in the first place and he’s angry again and there’s a headache building and his brothers are making it _worse-_

Diego and Five are shoved back from where they were chest to chest - or chest to abdomen really, Five is still a small thing and Diego has no problems towering him - and everyone turns to Klaus with expressions way too cautious/fearful for his liking. His eyes are simmering down from the blue that had pulsed through them, the colour in his veins crawling back down and he raises an annoyed eyebrow. The pressure behind his eyes has lessened now that he’s let it out a bit but there’s still just enough to leave him irritated. “How the fuck is this helping us?” He ends up sighing out after a few moments of everyone studying each other. He rubs at his temples to try and soothe the ache as he continues, “Nobody fucking cares who was in the Commission or why, alright? I thought we were trying to run away from them or whatever, why aren’t we talking about that instead?”

Luther, surprisingly, - or maybe not surprisingly, his year alone here seems to have humbled him - is the one to agree with him. “He’s right, this isn’t helpful. We don’t have time for this, the Feds could be here any minute and we need to move-”

“No, we need to box these windows and stay _here_.” Diego cuts him off, having recovered from Klaus’ outburst and now leaning against the stair railing. It looks like Luther is about to argue but all talking stops as Vanya suddenly declares she’s leaving. Klaus realises she must have slunk off somewhere while they were arguing. Allison stands up from her spot on the stairs just to the right of him.

“What? To go where?” 

Something is wrong with Harlan, she has to go back to the farm her lady-friend lives to help. She thinks they’re connected in some way because she _resurrected him and since when could she do_ **_that_ ** _holy shit-_ She wants them to come help her, she’s scared. 

Diego steps forward, his voice is soft and raspy and it reminds Klaus of how he’d talk while giving him a ride, back in their time, “Look, I’m sorry, we have other priorities right now.” 

“Diego’s right, for once. We need to make our stand here and now.” Five speaks up, voice gentle in the way it only ever is with his favourite sibling but Klaus thinks that, judging by Vanya’s face, they may as well have just kicked her puppy. She looks at the others, ducking her head to try and meet his eyes but he looks down and avoids her gaze, lips pursed as his mind runs. The doors closing behind her sound unbelievably loud as they all stand/sit in silence.

Going out now would be the worst decision they could make, Klaus knows, but he also knows going out alone is even _worse_ and he also can’t help the gnawing feeling of guilt that tears at him when he remembers his sister’s battered neck. He had tried to kill her in a rage-blinded attack and she still defended him against the others, against _Five_ who she was closest to, and he hadn’t even looked at her when she asked them for help. If she dies, he doesn’t want that to be her last memory of him.

It’s with that thought that he gives a sigh and pushes himself up. “Fuck this.” He mutters before walking past the others and out the door. He’s relieved to see Vanya hasn’t driven off yet and yanks the door open just as she’s starting the engine before plopping himself into the passenger seat.

“So, so, so,” He starts as he closes the door and turns to her, “Ben, huh? Gone forever.” He says it as nonchalantly as he can but the term ‘forever’ tugs at his heart in a way he’s sure bleeds into his eyes. “Isn’t he?”

Vanya hesitates for a split-second, eyes never leaving his, “He traded his life for mine, while he saved the world in the process.” 

“Pfft, show-off.” Klaus rolls his eyes because it’s just completely Ben, isn’t it? To go out saving the world as they know it yet nobody outside of their family will ever know. He pauses for a second to build up the courage to ask, “But… did he say anything about… me?” He doesn’t try to think of how he’d feel if Vanya says ‘No’, he tucks a strand of hair behind his ear instead and feels his heart rate pick up as she nods.

“He wanted me to tell you he was too scared to go to the light. It wasn’t you that made him stay.”

Klaus feels like he could cry but not from sadness. Rather, the feeling of the weight that has rested on him for almost two decades being lifted. He blinks, eyes and nose stinging as he laughs to himself. “Oh, that little shit-heel.” He looks at Vanya who’s smiling softly at him. “All these years, and I thought it was _my_ fault he didn’t take his ticket to heaven.”

He turns to stare at the dashboard and lets the fact that Ben didn’t _want_ to leave wash over him. After all this time of wondering if Ben was unable to move on and resented him because of it, it just turned out the man didn’t want to leave his side just as much as Klaus. The ache is still there but it soothes just enough for him to hear Vanya speak up, albeit reluctantly.

“Look, I’m sorry but you should get out because I need to-” Klaus lolls his head to look at her.

“Oh no, I’m coming with.” He gestures at absolutely nothing as he looks ahead again, “I can’t let you face the unknown alone, right?” He settles deeper into the seat. “I owe you that much, at least.” Vanya looks like she wants to say something but suddenly the two backdoors are opening and Allison and Diego are clambering in, waving off Vanya’s questions as he lets out a ‘Woo-hoo!’

Five makes him sit in the backseat but he has no problem with doing so, settling in between his two siblings as Luther climbs in through the back and causes the entire back of the car to sink. Klaus bites back the snicker he wants to let out, he can see Five doing the same. Diego and Allison just look done and Vanya has a way too sappy face for someone who’s car’s body is now touching the ground. Luther looks at them all.

“Anyone makes a fat joke and I’m out of here.” Nobody does and Vanya starts to drive, exhaust pipe dragging loudly on the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chap will be the battle at the farm cuz i wanted to write more Powerful Klaus and give him the action he deserved in that battle >:) then that'll be the end of this lil thing (although if i end up writing some oneshots of klaus and his powers in this 'verse then u didn't hear anything from me <3)
> 
> i really love writing dialogue which i think is obvious from how dialogue-heavy the klaus-diego scene is lol. i love my boys :((
> 
> kudos + comments appreciated always!!


	3. Shrike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I couldn't utter my love when it counted  
> Ah, but I'm singing like a bird 'bout it now  
> I couldn't whisper when you needed it shouted  
> Ah, but I'm singing like a bird, 'bout it now”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one took a bit longer than expected to get out! I had to rewatch some scenes to remember how everything all played out and kept getting distracted and just watching the episode whoops. 
> 
> Title and lyrics from ‘Shrike’ by Hozier. Such a good song, and literally all of it relates to Ben and Klaus in my eyes so it was hard to pick out a verse lol. Highly recommend giving it a listen if you haven’t already :)
> 
> This one is actually slightly edited for once lol

They’re met with a barn pulsing with white light and a blonde woman aiming a shotgun at them. She’s blaming Vanya, she’s scared for her son. Vanya manages to convince her to let them in to help. When they enter, Harlan is in the air, surrounded by a dome of energy and sounding to be in pain. The way his body spasms reminds Klaus of his own when he tried to push Ben out of his body and he swallows heavily. Vanya is the only one able to get to him and it looks like she may be able to succeed in calming him down but Klaus doesn’t get to see because a flash of blue outside catches his attention.

There are two women out in the fields, and despite being so far away, they seem to meet Klaus’ gaze head on as he stares at them in confusion. One of the women is a head taller than the other, holding a briefcase and Klaus, even from all the way from the other side of the field, has to admit her fashion is impeccable. The shorter woman dons clothing much less eccentric, darker and definitely more up Diego’s alley than Klaus’. Ghosts surround them both to an unsettling degree.

Klaus’ eyes don’t leave them as he hesitantly calls out towards the others. He hears Diego swear as they come to stand behind him, staring at the strangers in either confusion or apprehension. Apparently, one of them is Diego’s  _ ex-girlfriend _ . When did that happen? Klaus guesses it must be the shorter one. Five’s order to stay in the barn with Vanya while he and Diego go talk to them is obeyed for all but ten seconds.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” Allison asks as they come to a stop a couple feet away, too far to hear their conversation but close enough to see the women’s mouths moving. Klaus squints from the shade of his hand, shielding his eyes. 

“I don’t know.” He murmurs out as silence falls on them for a few moments. It’s Luther that breaks it.

“Which one’s the girlfriend?” 

Allison shrugs as Klaus hums. “Probably the short one.” He answers, glancing up at his brother as he looks at him. “What? You see her outfit? She’s totally Di’s type.” His gaze returns to the women ahead of them. “Although I wouldn’t put it past him to be into the older chick, especially with the old-timey fashion and blonde hair, fuckin’ mommy-issues central in that brain of his.”

Allison snorts, head tipping back with a cackle as Luther makes a sound of disgust. “Oh my God, Klaus, you’re filthy--” They’re interrupted from their little moment by movement. The older one, The Handler, has put the briefcase down and with a snap of her fingers, blue light floods the field in continuous flashes. One after the other, people appear in the field in groups of two until there is an army standing behind her. Some of them don masks, all of them have guns.

“Jesus Christ,” Allison breathes out, taking an unconscious step back and glancing at Five and Diego with worried eyes. “Why aren’t they moving?  _ Jesus Christ _ .” Klaus can’t hear her, eyes stuck on The Handler who’s staring at his brothers with a pleased grin. Her gaze slides over to meet his, as though she knew he was staring despite how far away they are, and her grin grows even more, taunting, knowing.

The Handler raises a red piece of fabric and suddenly Diego and Five are running back towards the barn Luther and Allison are trying to get him to run but Klaus can only stand and stare because with each Commision member comes a militia of the dead. They’re surrounded by ghosts and Klaus wants to scream because there’s so many yet the one ghost he wants and needs isn’t there and it’s not fair and he’s  _ angry _ all of a sudden why is he so angry why does Ben get to leave his life but not his damn head--

He glares as the assassins start running towards them and he’s being dragged backwards until his hands are glowing blue and suddenly so is every part of the now-battlefield. 

Commission members are stopped in their tracks as loud screaming fills the air, sudden, as though someone had hit the ‘unmute’ button. Gunshots are fired wildly - which Diego maneuvers away although Klaus isn’t sure when he learned to do that - but they do nothing to stop the cold hands of the dead grabbing and clawing and tearing and Klaus thinks he can see blood coating blue teeth. But he’s never summoned so many ghosts at once before - hundreds of them,  _ thousands _ \- and can only keep it up for so long until suddenly the ghosts are no longer visible to anyone other than himself once more. 

There’s still too many Commission members, he wasn’t able to keep the ghosts corporeal for long enough to kill more than a quarter and something in Klaus’ mind tells him he’s not going to be able to resummon as many as he just did so quickly afterwards. Luther and Allison break out of their stupor and Allison tugs harshly on his sleeve to get him to run with them. He does his best to keep up but it’s only moments later that his legs buckle as fatigue overwhelms him, almost tripping with every step as though he were a newborn deer. He barely registers Luther hooking an arm under his knees to sweep him up and continue running alongside their sister.

“You did good, Klaus,” He hears his brother pant out as they come to rest behind two large wagons filled with hay but can’t show any signs of acknowledgement, it feels like there’s a disconnect between his brain and his body, limbs heavy. “Real good.” Luther is in between him and Allison, big arms pulling them both in so their heads and chests are shielded from any stray bullets by his upper body. The sound of the bullets and the screaming of the ghosts is deafening, Klaus’ brain finally taking in what it had deemed as ‘background noise’ and his hands come to clasp at his ears as his eyes squeeze themselves shut on their own accord. It sounds just like a battlefield he has been on in only five years from now. He feels like he’s going to be sick but that would be embarrassing so he swallows over and over to stop his stomach from emptying and refuses to open his eyes ‘lest he see the body of his love, who he failed once again to save, bleeding beneath his hands.

A sharp, ringing tone cuts in through all the chaos and Klaus’ eyes open on instinct. The sight of the snow when he expected to be somewhere else is jarring but not as jarring as the sight of his sister floating high above the ground and glowing in a bright light. The tone heightens in pitch and Luther drags him and Allison back into his grip as they duck their heads, eyes clenching against the light coming from Vanya’s chest as it becomes blinding.

There’s a loud bang as Vanya’s powers are unleashed but it flows over them, only affecting the Commission members. It’s funny, Klaus muses to himself despite it clearly not being the appropriate time to do so, all it took to teach Vanya control over her powers was to treat her as an equal. Quiet comes over the field, no more gunshots and Klaus shares a look with Luther to see him also trying to compute what had just happened in the last ten minutes before they all stand.

A glance across the field shows them it may not be over just yet. A glowing dome of energy drops, revealing the two women inside and the shorter suddenly floats upwards herself, a white glow starting to shine from her chest, just like Vanya’s. Klaus stumbles backwards but he hardly gets a chance to run as a burst of energy, just like the one that Vanya had unleashed, sends him and his siblings sailing through the air in opposite directions. He shrieks as he hurtles towards the ground, hands coming up as though they’d be capable of breaking his fall. His bones thrum and he comes to an abrupt halt, opening his eyes to see the ground mere inches from his face. His hands are glowing that now familiar blue and he sighs in relief, said sigh turning into a yelp as he suddenly drops the last few inches into the snow. 

“Ow.” He grumbles, pushing himself up and patting the snow out of his hair with his hands, the blue gone once more. Once the novelty of almost-dying wears off, he remembers his siblings and shoves himself into a standing position. With a glance, he sees a hole in the side of the house and three figures and takes off running. 

He arrives to see Allison’s eyes turning white as she falls to the ground, wheezing as Luther holds her and pleads. The darker-clad woman is there and she laughs at the sight in front of her. She turns at the sound of his footsteps in the snow, grinning through her split lip.

“Hm, I don’t think we’ve met yet, either!” She says and Klaus returns her grin. “Name’s Lila,” She gives him a once-over, “I like your outfit.”

“Klaus,” He replies, voice still a bit breathy from running over “I like your accent.” He glances behind her to where Luther is now breathing  _ for _ Allison, still pleading with her to breathe on her own. He looks back at Lila “Is she gonna be okay?”

Lila makes a show of pondering before scrunching her nose up, “No, don’t think so.” She says with a shake of her head. Klaus nods solemnly.

“Damn, well, that’s a shame.” He punches her in the mouth and she takes a second to get her bearings, a hand dabbing at her mouth.

“God, what is with you guys and aiming for the jaw?” She whines before raising her own fist to slam into his eye. Klaus doesn’t bother with a quip this time, instead grunting before returning in kind and now they were trading hits and kicks and blocks over and over.

His fighting is not as precise as his siblings’ is, never has been. While they were all forced to take the same combat training, Klaus was often too high to fully take in what they were being taught, he never bothered to pay attention when practicing techniques and as a result he lacks a lot of the professional knowledge his siblings have. 

He doesn’t know every pressure point in the human body, doesn’t know which organs to target to do the most internal damage but the years out alone in the streets with nobody to help him when he needed it most taught him how to fight dirty. It’s obvious when he uses his nails to claw and scratch and aims for the eyes. He doesn’t so much ‘block’ hits rather than meet them with his own. When he grabs Lila by the hair at the base of her skull and uses the grip to throw her down to the ground, she rolls onto her back and slashes at him with a small dagger that she swiped from her shoe on the way down. Klaus is forced to throw himself backwards as the knife comes within a hair’s breadth of his throat and Lila uses that moment as her opportunity to spring upwards onto her feet, arm swinging forward again to slice at him and Klaus doesn’t have enough time to back away--

Her hand is stopped in mid-air, the tip of the blade inches from his neck. Klaus can feel the power humming through his veins and Lila stares at her hand incredulously. The knife falls to the ground as the pressure around her wrist increases, forcing her palm open. The knife flies up from its place in the snow and Klaus catches it without thinking about it before sliding it into his own boot. Lila looks at him, at the glowing blue that travels across him like a spider’s web. A look of concentration takes over her face but it morphs into horror after a few moments. Allison drags in shaky, ragged breaths as the rumor vanishes, the power holding it in place no longer existing. Lila glances around rapidly and he raises an eyebrow as she gasps out.

“What the  _ fuck _ ,” She chokes out and it’s like a lightbulb goes off in his head. She can see the ghosts. She was trying to copy the power holding her in place but ended up with the souls surrounding them instead. Klaus stares at her in wonder with glowing eyes as a smile, unnatural and with too many teeth, breaks out across his face. 

“You can’t copy secondary powers.” It comes out as a gasp, as though he were in awe but his expression is like that of a predator as he takes in how her eyes dart between her hand - still suspended in midair - and the ghosts surrounding them. She’s tugging desperately at the air but the power doesn’t give. She stops at his words, confusion bleeding into her features and replacing the fear for a few moments.

“What-” She goes flying across the field and into the barn before she can finish and Klaus blinks, not having meant for her to fly hard enough to go  _ in _ . Either way, Allison and Luther are staring at him with wide eyes, his sister’s breaths still coming in slight gasps as she tries to calm the adrenaline racing through her, but they give him a nod of thanks. Klaus grins, the blue in his eyes bleeding away to his normal green, and follows them as they take off in the direction of the barn, a large hole now in the side from the force Klaus had flung Lila into it. They stop halfway to pull Diego out from where his leg has been trapped by a tractor, Vanya and Five joining them as well. Then, without a word to each other, they keep on running.

It’s only when they reach the barn that they see how Lila landed.

Lila is gurgling words out that nobody can understand, blood bubbling up out of her throat and leaving splatters on her high cheekbones. There is a large shard of wood jutting out from her midsection, covered in red from where it has stabbed through her back and blood is bubbling up there, too. Her hands scrabble at it and she tries to pull herself off of the wooden chunk but is unable to, splinters digging into her hands as she fumbles. Klaus’ insides feel as though they have turned to ice.

He’s stammering out apologies before he’s even aware he’s doing it, “Oh God-- I-I didn’t mean it, I promise, I’m sorry, I’m  _ sorry _ \--” Vanya, who is closest to him, shushes him gently, hand wrapping around his wrist to stop him from stepping forward before her hand is moved by Diego as he pushes between them to get to the front of their group. He falls to his knees in front of Lila, who has given up on trying to remove herself from the debris and is instead looking around the area. Only her eyes move and there’s a far-away look to her gaze as it flits around quickly, never settling. He’s pleading with her but Klaus doesn’t comprehend it, the words going in one ear and out the other.

She looks at Diego through glassy eyes, glances at Five who is standing a small ways away and looks back at him again. She mouths out something that looks like an ‘I’m sorry’ but with how her lips twitch and wobble it’s hard to be sure. She’s gone in a flash of blue before Diego can finish yelling out her name. He stares at the red-stained chunk of wood for what feels like hours but was probably only a few seconds before his head snaps towards Klaus.

Diego looks at him as though he doesn’t know who he is, eyes wide in shock but his expression quickly becomes accusing and hostile as he steps towards him. It’s a look Klaus has never seen directed to him, not from his brother, and he takes an unconscious step back. Allison’s hand snakes up to his shoulder, pulling him closer to her and eyeing Diego warily. His brother hardly seems to notice, eyes not leaving Klaus.

“What the fuck did you do?! Klaus, I swear to God, if she’s dead because of you--” It’s Luther who puts an arm out to halt Diego in his advance towards him, fixing him with a firm look.

“She was going to kill us, Diego.” His tone is hard but not unkind, leaving Diego no room to speak as he continues, “She rumoured Allison into not breathing and laughed, she pulled a knife on Klaus, she was aiming for his  _ throat _ . He didn’t mean for her to get hurt that badly, it was an accident, he just wanted to get her away from us. He was  _ protecting _ us, alright?” 

Diego’s face falls as he looks back at Klaus, suddenly seeming so much more tired than he was a few moments ago. He opens his mouth to speak--

Suddenly Five is at the entrance of the barn, wrestling a gun out of The Handler’s hands and  _ when did he get there he was just beside them a second ago. _ Klaus hides his jump by doing vague karate-chop movements with his hands.

The Handler looks at them, hands raised. She is on edge for a total of five seconds before she reverts back to her look of sophistication. “Well,” She hums out, regarding them all, “This has taken a turn for the worst, in my regard, I will admit.” Her gaze lands on the bloodied wood, rests there for a few seconds and moves to Klaus. “I’m guessing that was your doing, right?” Klaus shifts on the spot, uncomfortable with being reminded of what he did, but says nothing. She hums with a nod. “I will admit, your secondary abilities were… An unexpected setback.”

Diego’s the one to speak up, angry and bristling like a feral cat. “Quit trying to distract us.” The Handler merely rolls her eyes in response.

“It’s over.” Five says from behind her, gun still aiming at her. “All of it. It’s done. You’re never going to hold a position of power again, not after this.”

The Handler looks over her shoulder at him, red-painted lips pulling up in a smirk. “Well, I wouldn’t say that--” Her body jerks as a bullet rips through her torso. Klaus jumps at the loud bang and stares as her body falls to the ground, blood spilling from her mouth like syrup and eyes staring ahead. He hopes he doesn’t have to see her any time soon. Maybe she’ll move up to that grey-scale place with The Little Girl, he feels like she would get along great with Dad.

He looks up from her body to see a blond man in the entrance of the barn, holding a gun of his own and staring at the body with contempt before he lifts his head to look at them all one by one. Five throws his gun to the floor and he feels the way his siblings tense.

“Enough.” He states it firmly, like a fact and the man scrutinises them all once more before throwing his own gun down with a nod. He says a word in another language before turning and leaving. Klaus wonders if maybe he should have mentioned the other two blonds that follow him out. Too late now.

  
  


* * *

They rush to the basement of the barn where Harlan and Sissy are, the boy still surrounded by a dome of energy, although this one is much smaller than the previous one he had been floating inside of. He’s curled in on himself, tucking himself away in a corner with his eyes scrunched shut. Vanya forces her way in and takes back what she had put in him. The energy fades and Vanya turns to smile at them as Sissy hugs her son. Klaus stares at her in awe.

Five and Diego head out into the field, sidestepping bodies, to meet with two other members of The Commission - good guys this time. They get them a briefcase. Five tells them all that they’ll have to wait around until he gets it set up so most of them use their remaining time to say their goodbyes. Diego sits with Vanya outside, the woman’s head falling to rest on his shoulder as they sit in silence. Klaus settles himself in the destroyed living room, stepping around the wreckage to delicately place himself on the floor in front of the couch. Dave’s tags jingle around his neck and he holds them up unable to stop the sad smile as his eyes trace lovingly over the engraved words. He places a delicate kiss to cool metal and thinks of everything he could have done differently.

His mind wanders, after a few minutes, and soon his hands are glowing again and he’s reaching.

And reaching.

And reaching.

And reaching.

* * *

Diego comes in from the porch and Klaus, who’s hands no longer glow, eyes him warily as he sits on the couch. He has to tilt his head up to see his brother’s face, the other man’s mouth in a thin line as he stares straight ahead. Klaus moves his own gaze forward, too, when he realises he won’t be looking at him. They sit in silence, Klaus still playing with Dave’s dog tags and Diego fiddling with his fingers.

“I loved her, man.” 

Klaus looks up again, this time his eyes meeting Diego’s, whose eyes have gone glassy. He blinks and tears fall, face turning from Klaus’ again as they do. He stares at the wall adamantly, brow furrowed and face angry but the wetness of his cheeks give away how he really feels. Klaus wonders if the way he feels right now for his brother is how Ben felt for him when he went into that liquor store, desperate to hide just how badly Dave hitting him had hurt him. 

He squirms a bit on his spot on the floor, debating whether he should say what he wants to. He can’t decide whether it would be better for Diego to know the truth, or if it would be worse. One more glance to his heartbroken brother makes the decision for him.

_ Fuck it. _

“She’s not dead.” 

Diego’s head whips toward him, so quick his hair moves with him. His eyes are wide, calculating as he stares at him. He looks unsure whether or not to respond, as though afraid he was just hearing things, but his desperation wins. “What did you say?”

Klaus lets the dog tags fall to his chest, hand coming up to his mouth so he can gnaw on his fingers as he shifts his gaze to the wall. “She isn’t dead.” He repeats, voice a murmur as he speaks around his digits.

“And how do you know that?” It’s challenging, as though Diego believes Klaus may be lying to him, poking fun, mocking. It makes Klaus huff and shift an unimpressed gaze to him.

“Um, my whole ‘thing’ is dead people, in case you forgot.” Diego has the decency to look sheepish and Klaus takes pity, tone softening. “I can seek out spirits if I need to,” He pauses, tongue darting out to wet his lips. “It’s how I summoned Ben, all those years ago.” He gently bats Diego’s hand from where it had come to run through his hair, he didn’t want the comfort right now, this was for Diego.

He sighs and leans his head back, holding Diego’s gaze. “I tried to find her, when you were out there with Vanya.” He confesses and for a moment he swears Diego looks touched. “I couldn’t find her, no matter how hard I looked. Ghosts can’t move on that fast, it can take them a few hours, even days, to realise they’re actually dead, let alone move onto a new plane of existence.” 

Diego is quiet for a few moments before he whispers, almost to himself. “Good. That’s… That’s good.” Klaus hums and shifts a bit, stretching his legs before halting as he feels something press against his calf. He reaches to his boot and his hand comes to rest on the hilt of a knife. He had forgotten he had taken it from Lila. He glances at Diego out of the corner of his eye before carefully pulling the small blade from his shoe. He fiddles with it before shakily holding it out to his brother, almost timid.

His brother makes a questioning noise but Klaus just waves the knife at him wordlessly until he takes it. “It’s hers,” He mumbles, “Lila’s.” He hears Diego inhale and looks to see him gazing at the knife in his hands reverently.

“If you’re going to do things with that knife, I’d rather you do it later when we’re back at The Academy and therefore have our own space.” 

Diego fumbles with the knife as a response, almost dropping it before he slides it into his own shoe, straightening with a quiet curse. Klaus tilts his head back and laughs. It takes a second but soon Diego is laughing with him.

* * *

Sissy and Harlan are not coming, they’re going to cross the border instead to avoid the police. Vanya seems upset but understands. Five has readied the briefcase and they all exit the house and stand in a circle, hands coming up to grasp the hands of the person beside them. It’s almost exactly like last time except Vanya is awake and Klaus can’t feel a hand on his shoulder that  _ should be there it isn’t fair _ .

“Wait!” He gasps out and everyone immediately turns to him. The itch underneath his skin ceases as soon as Luther and Vanya’s hands leave his and he hopes they didn’t see the tips of his fingers glow. Still, his siblings look at him expectantly so Klaus quickly darts over to the porch to grab a western hat, placing it on his head as he returns to their circle and hopes it’s enough to distract from the raw emotion that was just on his face. He swallows as they all connect their hands again and says nothing as they disappear in a flash.

He fights off the nausea as they appear in the hall of their home. It looks nothing like how they’d left it, no longer rubble and in pristine condition. The newspaper on the table that they’d flashed in around tells them they have stopped the apocalypse. 

“Did we actually succeed in something? That’s incredible!” Klaus chokes out a laugh and the others join him, Allison’s hands coming up to cover her face in delight. “I don’t know about you guys but I need a drink.” He says as he hugs Vanya before moving on to Luther, “In fact, I need several!” He races off into the living room to get to the bar, his siblings following after him.

He doesn’t think he’s ever been happy to see Five’s portrait staring them down until now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact: i actually didn’t plan to have Klaus hurt Lila that badly but i was looking up the lyrics to Shrike and found out that Shrikes are a type of bird of prey. Their method of killing? Impaling their prey on sharp thorns. The opportunity was too good to miss out on, in my opinion. I actually really like Lila but tbh she deserves it for drugging Diego smh (couldn’t kill her tho, i don’t wanna do that to Diego lol)
> 
> Also, I didn’t want Klaus to completely overpower the entire Commission because he may be powerful but I honestly don’t think he’s practiced anywhere near enough to use his conjuring abilities to the extent that would have been needed (Hence why I didn’t have the cowboys save him - his powers are tuckered out thanks to his little stunt) And I didn’t want to steal all of Vanya’s thunder because I love her and think she’s awesome lol.
> 
> That’s the end of this little fic! But if you haven’t noticed, this is now a series :D We’ll all get to see how the fam deals with Klaus’ telekinesis and, who knows, maybe they’ll discover some more powers along the way :P


End file.
